To Remember
by Fareway
Summary: Hiccup reminisces the memories he had with his father. A happy/sad Father's Day one-shot.


**How To Train Your Dragon 2**

 **Father's Day fic**

 **Post-Movie**

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 **We so often remember the good times, when it is the bad moments that make those good memories even better.**

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It was early morning, Berk alive and well with activity in the early sun. Most of the houses had been repaired from the attack of Drago and his Bewilderbeast. Most of the time was spared thanks to the dragons, Toothless having a big part in it. He found his new job tedious, but tolerable with Hiccup there to suffer with him. The Night Fury was resting his wings-even though they weren't tired-by the forge. Hiccup was talking to Gobber and some of the clients, a dispute about some faulty weapon. Honestly, if they'd just learn to breathe fire, all of their problems would be solved. The thought had come across Toothless' mind once or twice.

He had his chin flat on the ground, his eyes blinking up at his rider as the boy, now a man, di-plo-mi-sized with the Vikings. A touch from his back caused his ears to perk and his head to lift up off the ground. Valka walked into his sight, her hands rubbing his back before scratching the back of his ears. Toothless grined with a lopsided head, his teeth retracting to show only his gums. Valka chuckled and nosed him before continuing onward, a basket in her hands as she carried fish back to the storage hut.

She stopped just outside the forge, seeing Astrid coming up to her mostly likely to talk. Valka had been able to talk to Astrid before, seeing how obvious it was that the two were madly in love with each other, but too shy to show it fully. She loved Astrid, couldn't wait to hear her start calling her mom, but remained patient... and quiet about the wish. Valka had also met some of Hiccup's other friends, the first being Fishlegs. He thoughts on him were, at first, that of astonishment. He practically memorized everything Bork knew about dragons-since that was their main source until now-and kept it all on these cards. He showed them to her, sifting through them to show her all that he knew. She was amazed, and flattered to know she wasn't the only one.

Then there was Snotlout. Valka could tell he and Hiccup probably didn't see eye to eye all the time. It reminded her of Stoick and Alvin. The boy was very prideful, yet still modest... in his own way. Definitely a fighter, more than likely winning physical fights rather than verbal Valka assumed. He probably caused more problems for Hiccup than the Berserkers, as she was told of them and their deeds. In her opinion, it was good, Hiccup needed the practice before facing any real threats.

Valka hadn't fully spoken with the Thorston twins yet. And as Hiccup would say, "that was a good thing." From what he and Astrid had told her, they were trouble... times two. She asked her son if they were any more trouble than that Snotlout, but he only gazed off in thought before saying, "I'll have to get back to you on that." In Valka's opinion, they were probably worse, but with all that Snotlout had put him through, frustrating and irritating blended together so Hiccup couldn't tell the difference. To put it nicely, Valka thought of them as being spontaneous. Enough said.

"Good morning, Mrs. Haddock." Astrid greeted warmly as she stood by Valka with crossed arms. Valka had absentmindedly stopped and watched Hiccup do his chiefing; Astrid now joined her.

"Oh, just call me Valka." Valka replied with a smile, "Or mom." she added with a nervous giggle to which Astrid replied with a reassurring chuckle.

"Soon." Astrid smiled back. They continued to watch Hiccup, Valka's smile slowly falling as a thought struck her mind.

"I can still see it." she said in sorrow, blinking her eyes to warn the possible tears away. Astrid glanced at her, allowing her arms to drop in a silent gesture of concern. "The pain... I can still see it in his eyes." Valka took in a deep breath.

Astrid placed her hand on her future mother-in-law's shoulder, "It's in your eyes, too." her voice was soft, matching Valkas'. The elder closed her eyes, her lips firm together to aid in the fight. A single tear fell down her cheek.

Astrid moved her hand from Valka's shoulder and brushed the tear drop away. "The pain will subside in time." she whispered, leaning down to catch Valka's gaze. Valka herself whipped her sleeve across her face and took in a deep, recovering breath.

"Tell me, who found whom first?" a smile broke her saddened features as she looked at Astrid. The fair maiden chuckled and shook her head, looking up at Hiccup who was now done with the current business and walking over.

"In all honesty, him." Astrid replied.

"My ladies." Hiccup greeted with his humble charm, glancing between the two to find a hidden knowing. "What where you two talking about?"

"You." Astrid answered back, leaning forward to kiss him on the lips before walking off. Hiccup watched her go, his curious gaze falling back to his mom.

"I hope it was good stuff, right?" He said, catching his mom's eyes in his. She smiled and patted his arm.

"You should take a break." she suggested. Hiccup's posture fell in defeat, as did his smile, as he let out a sigh of relief.

"You have no idea how stressful this is. I-I thought handling Snotlout and the twins for a whole day was tiring, but this... is worse." he confessed, arms swaying this way and that. Valka chuckled and bowed her head before looking into her son's emeralds again.

"You'll get used to it, just give it time."

"Will it get easier?" Hiccup asked with hopes.

"No," Valka retorted, earning a sideways glance from her son. "But, with experience, the stress will lessen." She said as she placed a hand on Hiccup's arm.

"Huh, yeah, I just hope I don't come home with a two block head ache."

Valka laughed, "Did your father still get those?"

"Yeah, yeah." Hiccup smiled back at her, glancing down at the ground at the thought of him. Valka instantly felt it, and moved her hand to lift up his chin.

"Take a break if you need it, Hiccup." Hiccup nodded at her advice and turned around to call for Toothless. The dragon need not to move much since he was already waiting behind him. Hiccup hopped up onto the saddle and clicked in his prosthetic.

"You'll have to tell me the story about how that happened exactly." Valka stated, gesturing to his prosthetic. Hiccup gave her a knowing smile before he and Toothless took off into the sky.

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The clouds blanketed the sky like a giant cotton lid; peep holes placed randomly throughout. The sun shined the brightest through these holes, creating visible rays of light in the open sky.

Toothless and Hiccup flew above the blanket of clouds, cruising straight on to tomorrow. Hiccup's eyes didn't shine with the excitement he always had. They just stared straight into the emptiness of the atmosphere. It was a thought bouncing around in his head that made him sad, made his love for the moment vanish.

It was Father's Day.

And now he couldn't celebrate it.

All his heart could promise was to honor his father and remember his works. Hiccup's mind raced back to a previous Father's Day when he gifted to him a stylized sword with a Thunderdrum on it (From my story, _Gift of a Son_ ). He was so happy for all the hard work Hiccup put into the blade, but it was his words that made the moment memorable.

 _"...there's one gift that can't beat any other... You are the greatest gift I have ever been given."_

It brought a smile to Hiccup's face, then and even now as the frown curled up with sorrowful eyes. The 20 year old Chief swallowed hard and looked down at Toothless' saddle.

His dad did so much for him, worried so much for him, cared so much for him. The times when the two were at ends were only a blur compared to the short 6 years he had a real father/son relationship with Stoick. Hiccup was his son, his one and only son, the Pride of Berk... and he loved him. Never gave up on him, knowing he would be the strongest of them all. If the last six years didn't prove anything, then nothing would.

The times when Hiccup felt he needed to prove himself, his father ran to him to tell him it wasn't needed. He may have been a fool before, but now his eyes were open, and Hiccup, being a hiccup that he was, was perfect. Ever since the beginning, Stoick knew his son would be the greatest.

And he showed it too. Suttle hints and gestures; giving Hiccup the arena, letting him run the Dragon Training Academy, putting him in charge of the village when Stoick had to be away for business, trusting his judgement (eventually) with the dragons and that they weren't what they all thought they were. Even the little things that were too dangerous. When Hiccup had to be the hero, Stoick let him go. Easily, he could have told him no, but intstead he said go. He trusted Hiccup, he trusted Toothless.

And so many others wanted to hurt them. His father feared one day Hiccup would get hurt by Alvin, or Dagur. Or get injured in a training accident, or get caught up in a storm. The thoughts that passed his mind and hurt his heart, Hiccup would never know, but the look on his father's face when he would find him and bring him home...

Relief, relief from the pain of fear.

It was times like those that he really saw his father being his father. And now...

He won't be able to see that face. His smile, the way his bushy beard would move up a little with his lips curled, his emerald eyes, and how they glowed with love. He could still remember his face, but how long would it be before it would fade away.

Hiccup's hand clasped over his mouth, the tears threatening to fall down his cheek as he closed his eyes and bowed his head. When removed, he took in a deep breath and steadied his heart. He didn't want to cry. He wanted the hurt to stop. He wanted to smile, and laugh, and cry tears of joy at the thought of his father. Stoick the Vast, a name nearly all Vikings in the Archipelago knew and feared. But when Hiccup knew his name, it wasn't fear he felt.

His father was a warrior, a chief, a friend, a husband, and a father. And to Hiccup, he was the greatest warrior, the bestest friend, the most loving husband, and the number one father.

And now he was gone, in Valhalla. He sacrificed himself to save Hiccup. It could have been him, but it wasn't.

They always say it's sad when the parent out lives their child. Stoick made sure that wasn't the case.

Hiccup started shaking when the memories of that moment flooded his head. It all happened in the blink of an eye! He heard his father call him, he saw Toothless' mouth glow, he saw his father running...

And then he was gone...

"Toothless, can we please land, bud?" he gasped out, trying to hide the sqeak in voice due to his swallen throat. a few tears ran down his cheek as he took a few more breathes to steady himself.

Toothless glanced sideways, sensing something wrong. He cooed questionly before Hiccup grasped the handle and both flew down through the clouds. There were island stacks dotting the ocean's surface and Hiccup and Toothless flew down the the closest one before landing. Hiccup lifted his leg around and hopped off, his hand clasping his mouth again as he fast-walked over to the edge of the sea stack. Toothless watched him, his head tilted and eyes wide in alert. He slowly followed his rider, observing his movements and listening to the sounds his face made. Everything told him it wasn't good.

Hiccup knelt down in defeat as he burried his face into his hands. Toothless clambered on over to his side, nudging his arm and cooing sadly at him. The Chief lifted his face up into the light, his eyes slightly red from the burden of the overload now falling down his cheeks.

"It's not your fault, bud." Hiccup managed to say, "I don't blame you for what happened. I just wish it didn't." he gasped softly. Toothless understood now, and let out a soft moan. He opened and closed his gummy mouth, letting out gargles and puffs as if he was attempting to speak Norse (or English).

Hiccup looked up at him. He had no idea what he said, but understood completely that Toothless was trying to cheer him up. And that in itself was enough to make him smile.

Hiccup swallowed again and whipped his sleeve across his face.

"Promise me you will never leave, bud." he asked in a whisper as he laid his head down on the Night Fury's. Both of their eyes closed when their foreheads touched.

Toothless huffed in response before parading Hiccup with slobbery licks. He got yelps and protests in response as he watched Hiccup shove his head away and try to wipe off the saliva. Toothless watched with a cheeky grin.

Hiccup glanced up at him to see his face and couldn't help but chuckle. If anyone could cheer him up, it was Toothless; and he was thankful for it.

"Thanks, bud. You really are amazing."

He never liked to think that his father died because of a dragon, because of Toothless. And he was right because that's not how he died. He died protecting his son from a mad man named Drago Bludvist.

Hiccup looked off into the horizon one last time.

"I love you, dad." he said before climbing onto the saddle and flying back to Berk.

.

.

.

.

.

 _I love you too, son_

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 **A.N**

 **Happy Father's Day! For those who are home and those who aren't. Sorry for any grammar error, unfortunately, I don't have Microsoft Office on my new desk top computer (and would have to pay monthly in order to have it) so I'm using WordPad. Gets the job done, but no spellchecking :(**

 **Either way, I'll be writing stories once Friday comes along. 5 more days! Hope you guys have Netflix to watch the new season! Read you soon!**

 **And thank yous to you all!**

 **~Fareway**


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